SENSATIONAL SPIDERMAN 2
by WOLVERINE25TH
Summary: The Scarlet Spider is back! 'Nuff Said!
1. INTRO

Hey, true believers! 

Well, you made it back for part 2, eh? Good! I hope you're enjoying the story! Now, I've come to realize that these stories may inspire some of you to take a look at the actual Clone Saga and see what you may have missed, as indicated by a review left to part 1. So, I've decided to help you all out by listing every single relevant issue to the Clone Saga at the end of my little gab session here. So, all you'll have to do is scroll on down and take a gander.

Many people may not realize that the Clone Saga's roots were set down about 30 years ago, which makes it an extremely long story arc. Some Spidey fans will tell you it was a travesty while others will tell you it was great. Personally, I thought it was great but with the obvious flaws that will come with office politics, several different writers over several different titles, and a convoluted history to deal with. But, I still liked it. Does that mean you will? Absolutely not, and thus the other reason for the list; so you can all track down whatever version of the comics you can, read them, and make your own judgment.

Now that I've promoted business to various back issue retailers, I wanna give you all a little history on this little project of mine. Last issue, I said I wrote these scripts for Marvel's Epic line a couple years ago. But, saving Ben was something I tried to do back in 1997. At the time of his death, I was running a small story site on the web where I was doing different Wolverines at the time. That's when I got the idea to expand into Spidey territory.

The plan was to alter the ending to Spider-Man #75 (a version of which you read last issue) and to have TWO Spider-Men swinging around between the 6 titles. Ben would have double duty in Sensational and Web of, Peter would get Amazing and Peter Parker (or Spider-Man, whatever you choose to call it), both would alternate in Spider-Man Unlimited and have team-up adventures in Spectacular Spider-Men. The Ben issues would be brand new, while the Peters would be condensed retellings of stories published after the Clone Saga. Ironically enough, my first story arc involved the Scarlet Spider…but not Joe Wade. Rather, an entire year before a fateful issue of What If…, I had actually created my own Spider-Girl. I did the first five parts but kind of lost interest around part six and never finished. Maybe one day I'll wrap it up and present it to the world.

Well, that's a little more back-story for ya! See you for the epic conclusion of "Scarlet Fever" in two weeks! And remember, if you want Ben to keep on swinging after the conclusion of this story arc, just let me know!

C

* * *

**CLONE SAGA CHECKLIST:**  
Amazing Scarlet Spider #s 1 & 2  
Amazing Spider-Man vol. 1 #s 14, 31, 37, 39-40, 53, 121 & 122, 129, 136, 144 -151, 391, 393-418, 435  
Amazing Spider-Man Annual '96  
Amazing Spider-Man Super Special #1  
Avengers vol. 1 #400  
Daredevil vol. 1 #354  
DC Versus Marvel #s 1 & 4  
Giant-Size Spider-Man #5  
Green Goblin #s 1 & 13  
Marvel Fanfare vol. 2 #3  
Marvel Versus DC #s 2 & 3  
Maximum Clonage Alpha  
Maximum Clonage Omega  
New Warriors vol. 1 #61-67, 70  
Scarlet Spider #s 1 & 2  
Scarlet Spider Unlimited #1  
Sensational Spider-Man #s 0-11  
Sensational Spider-Man Mini-Comic  
Spectacular Scarlet Spider #s 1 & 2  
Spectacular Spider-Man vol. 1 #s 25-31, 68, 142 & 143, 149, 200, 215-240  
Spectacular Spider-Man Annual # 8  
Spectacular Spider-Man Super Special #1  
Spider-Man vol. 1 #s 48-75  
Spider-Man vol. 2 #s 27 & 28  
Spider-Man Holiday Special 1995  
Spider-Man Super Special #1  
Spider-Man Team-Up #s 2-6  
Spider-Man Unlimited #s 7-14, 17  
Spider-Man: 101 Ways to End the Clone Saga #1  
Spider-Man: Dead Man's Hand #1  
Spider-Man/Punisher: Family Plot #s 1 & 2  
Spider-Man: Funeral For an Octopus #s 1-3  
Spider-Man: Lost Years #1-3  
Spider-Man: Redemption #s 1-4  
Spider-Man: The Final Adventure #1-4  
Spider-Man: The Jackal Files #1  
Spider-Man: The Osborn Journal #1  
Spider-Man: The Parker Years #1  
Thunderbolts Annual '97  
Uncanny X-Men #339  
Venom Super Special #1  
Venom: Along Came A Spider #s 1-4  
Web of Scarlet Spider #s 1-4  
Web of Spider-Man #s 114-129  
Web of Spider-Man Super Special #1  
What If…? Vol. 1 #30  
What If…? Vol. 2 #86 

For complete timeline of the clone saga, head on over to **samruby dot com **and for detailed issue information, check out **spiderfan dot **org, two of the greatest Spidey resources on the web!


	2. SENSATIONAL SPIDERMAN 2

**PREVIOUSLY**

One year ago, Carolyn Trainer had assumed the role of Doctor Octopus after the original, her friend and mentor Otto Octavius, was killed. Special Agent Joe Wade of the FBI was assigned to infiltrate her operations undercover. His cover wasn't that good, he discovered, as Lady Ock captured him and placed him inside a device that would use his mind to operate a Virtual Reality version of the Scarlet Spider. When the real Scarlet Spider stopped her plans, her base was destroyed and it somehow caused a malfunction in Joe's machinery, turning him into the homicidal Scarlet Spider! 

Now, Agent Wade was in a coma after having been stopped by the combined efforts of Spider-Man and the New Warriors. Lady Ock had returned and abducted him from his hospital in an effort to duplicate the accident on purpose and use him as a powerful weapon against Spider-Man! 

The pod had exploded, sending Lady Ock dazed to the ground, protected from serious injury by her personal force field. She looked over to where Agent Wade's pod was and through the billowing smoke a form emerged. She cringes back as the figure looms over her, giving her a feeling she'll most likely not live to regret the fact that the Scarlet Spider.. 

…is BACK! 

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE'S JOHNNY!"

* * *

Stan Lee Presents  
**THE SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN  
#2  
"SCARLET FEVER PART 2"**

Written by  
CHRIS BUCHNER 

Spider-Man created by  
STAN LEE  
STEVE DITKO  


* * *

**BELLEVUE**

News of Lady Ock's brutal attack spread fast, faster than the FBI would have liked. By the time they took things over from the NYPD, security camera footage had already been passed along to the major news networks as well as various newspaper early editions, including The Daily Bugle. Outside the hospital, police and fire trucks litter the street with various FBI vehicles. The NYPD is just there more or less to present a calming image to the populace and play crowd control for the Feds, a job no one in uniform ever enjoys. Officers stand by the barricades in the street keeping onlookers and the press away from the hospital. 

Amidst the sea of newspaper and TV reports stand two of the _Bugle_'s own, Peter Parker and Ben Urich. Ben is a grizzled, street savvy reporter, always looking for the next big story and not afraid to take the risks to get it. Peter has just recently received an upgrade from his status as a freelance photographer to a full-time one with the arrival of his baby and a family to now support. He was also the original Spider-Man. 

"This is ridiculous! We've been standing here for the better part of the day," Ben says, pulling out a cigarette from his jacket. "And the Feds aren't saying a damn thing. No statement, no quote, no anything. At this rate, I'd be lucky to walk away with something above the same generic story everyone's going to be running today." 

_Yeah, and I can't get any photos Jameson will actually pay for_, Peter thinks, _or find out what Ock is up to again_. Peter looks around, then notices some air units on top of the hospital and gets an idea. He looks towards Ben and motions behind him. "Hey, Ben, I need to find a phone and make a call…hang tough!" 

"You know, they have this marvelous new invention called a cell phone, Pete," Ben yells after him. 

"They also have these things called diapers I need to spend money on more!" Peter calls back. Especially when I need an excuse to do what I do best! Peter fights his way out of the crowd and heads up the block until he disappears around the next corner. He reaches into his camera bag and pulls out a web-shooter.

* * *

Inside the hospital, two big and burly agents stand guard outside the ripped off frame of the door to Agent Wade's room. Inside the room, the head agent looks as the other agents collect evidence as he talks on a cell phone. 

"Yes, sir, we have confirmation that it was Doctor Octopus and she has abducted Special Agent Wade. No, sir, we don't have any leads as to where she could have taken him or why." The agent continues to rattle off information to his superior over the phone; completely oblivious that in the ventilation shaft just above him are some prying eyes. Peter looks down through the grating as he hears every word the agent says, getting more worried by the second. 

_Agent Wade? He was the Scarlet Spider duplicate Ock created to discredit Ben and became a metal nightmare_ **(1)**_! Oh boy…with Carolyn involved this is beyond not good. I need to warn Ben._

* * *

**THE DAILY GRIND, LATER**

"…yeah, okay. Yeah, thanks, Pete," Ben says as he hangs up the phone._Great, Ock's back on the loose…just what I DON'T need!_ Ben throws his apron on a shelf behind the counter and grabs his jacket. "See you guys tomorrow," he says on his way out. Outside on the street, he starts walking but slows down when he notices a couple of people standing on the sidewalk and looking upwards in the same direction. 

"Hey, check that out!" someone says. Ben looks up curiously. _Oh, you've GOT to be kidding!_ There, in the darkening evening sky on a cloud, is the projected image of a crudely drawn spider. Ben slaps his head and shakes it. _If the Torch ever hears about this I won't hear the end of it for a month!_

* * *

**GE BUILDING**

The GE Building, originally the RCA Building, is the tallest and the first building part of Rockefeller Center. Standing 70 stories, the exterior is made of Indiana limestone typical of most Art Deco skyscrapers. It was constructed in 1931 by Cross & Cross and littered with sculptures and murals both outside and inside. Many non-New Yorkers would recognize it as the backdrop to the giant golden statue of Prometheus that stands above the café/ice skating rink, or the backdrop to the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Right now, it's being recognized for a different reason. 

Special Agent Stephanie Briggs stands atop the building with her hands in her coat pockets, its bottom flapping in the wind normally found at this altitude. She had used her credentials to get her up her and do what she needed to do. Specifically, to modify a spotlight with a hastily painted spider on the front being projected onto a bank of clouds over the city. 

_This is so stupid, she thinks. Trying to reach Spider-Man the way they do in the movies. I must be out of my mind. Bad enough they claimed I was too close to Wade to be a part of the active investigation, but now I could lose my job over this stunt._

"Ya know, I could get in trouble with the Super Heroes Association for this," a voice says behind her, startling her. She turns fast to find Spider-Man crouching on the rooftop. "I'm pretty sure there's a certain bat-guy who has a copyright on the whole signal thing." 

"So I'll get you a good lawyer; couldn't think of a better way to reach you." 

"Sure, make this _my_ fault. What's up?" he asks, already knowing. 

"Agent Wade was abducted from Bellevue by Doc Ock late last night." Spidey stands up. 

"You have my attention." 

"Good. After you and your Warriors buddies stopped him, Joe had a relapse and fell into a coma. He needed immediate life support, so we were forced to put him into Bellevue. That's why he's still here instead of in Washington getting help." 

"You think Ock's after the Scarlet Spider?" 

"I'm sure of it. Only problem is they won't let me near the investigation because of my friendship with Joe. But, that doesn't mean I'm just gonna sit this one out. That's why I need your help." 

"You have it. Any leads?" Agent Briggs looks out over the city. 

"She'd need a lab obviously. The Bureau's currently checking out some of Octavius' old haunts, and I've got a friend inside who will give me a heads up." Suddenly, alarms and sirens begin to scream in Spidey's brain. It's a feeling he always gets when his precognitive spider-sense flares up to an immediate danger. "I think…" 

"Agent Briggs, look…" Spidey starts, but is cut off by the Scarlet Spider landing on the spotlight, crushing it beneath his feet. Spidey is knocked back while Agent Briggs jumps back in surprise. She teeters on the edge of the building before quickly regaining her balance, her heart racing. 

"Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucy! I'm hoooooooooooooome!" Agent Briggs looks up at the red clad intruder before her. 

"Joe…" she says quietly. Scarlet turns to her. "Lucy! Ju got some s'plaining to do!" he says just before he backhands Agent Briggs, sending her flying off the roof. Spidey quicky dives off the building after Agent Briggs; Scarlet simply standing there and admiring his handy work, laughing his maniacal "Hee hee hee." 

Spidey forces his fall until he catches up with Agent Briggs. He grabs her in tight to his body and flips them both around so he can fire a web-line that anchors to the side of the building. The line goes taught and Spidey uses the momentum to swing them to safety just before being flattened on the ice rink below in the plaza. Spidey lets got of his line and fires another one while readjusting Agent Briggs to have her resting over his shoulder. Scarlet leaps off the building and fires his own web-line, starting to give chase. 

"Agent Briggs? Agent Briggs!" Spidey shouts as he swings. _Out cold. Great,_ Spidey thinks. His spider-sense buzzes, letting him know he's being followed. _And laughing boy's on our tail!_

* * *

**NEW JERSEY**

By the Jersey shoreline overlooking Manhattan Island, there's a structure that numerous Jersey logs will tell you is condemned. There are also many residents close enough to the area that they could tell you a large hole by the roof wasn't there yesterday. 

Inside was once one of the many labs set up by Dr. Otto Octavius, known more commonly as Doctor Octopus, to conduct his criminal scientific experiments as well as elude the authorities. Currently it, like all of his other bases, are in the possession of his confidant, Dr. Carolyn Trainer, the new Doc Ock. 

The main lab area is in shambles. When the experiment succeeded in restoring the Scarlet Spider personality of Joe Wade, it had explosive results; and not only in regards to the stasis pod's explosion. When Scarlet emerged, he began to tear the place asunder for no reason other than he enjoyed it. Most of her inventions and supplies are smashed up or flung about, may weighing hundreds of pounds but treated like rag dolls nonetheless. 

Lady Ock surveys the mess as she holds her weight on a metal crutch. Her uniform is messy and torn, covered in dirt and blood. Her belt sizzles and sparks from the unit that controls her personal force field as it has been smashed. Two of her mechanical arms are broke and hanging limply alongside the other two, which spasm occasionally. 

_Nnng…ribs are cracked_, she thinks as she moves towards the equipment console on the back wall. _Feels like internal bleeding…or worse. Don't know what went wrong, he should have been under MY control!_ She holds herself up with her crutch as she makes keystrokes on the console. The screen fizzles with static until she hits it out of frustration, fixing the problem. _Need to find out what went wrong._

A diagnostic screen comes up: 

Diagnostic Check: Complete  
Scarlet Spider Program: Initiated  
Scarlet Spider Upgrade: Complete  
Cerebral Control Chip: Failure  
Remote Control Uplink: Failure  
Tracking System: Active

_Blast! I made him too strong! He was able to fight the chip!_ She gets ready to hit the console in anger again until she stops and notices something. _The tacking system is still working?_ Curiously, she goes into the tracer program and looks at the location map indicating where Scarlet is. _Midtown? What the hell are you up to?_

* * *

**MIDTOWN**

Scarlet swings, looking for his prey. "Come out, come out wherever you are!" he calls tauntingly. Suddenly, Spidey flies up from a building in a pole vaulting position, kicking Scarlet across the face as he passes and knocks him off his web-line. 

"Miss me?" Spidey quips. As Scarlet falls, he fires a web-line up at Spidey, snagging his back. He pulls back, bringing Spidey to him before he brings his arms back around so smack Spidey away. 

"Nope," Scarlet says. Spidey goes flying over through the air at break-neck speed. He quickly fires a web-line at a nearby building. As soon as it pulls taught he uses it to swing back and flip up to land on top of the roof. 

_That was too close!_ He thinks. His spider-sense flares just before he's hit hard in the back by two red laser beams. "AAAAAAARGH!" Spidey cries out as he falls off the roof and onto the one of the shorter building next door. Scarlet stands on the rooftop from where Spidey, fell, his eyes glowing bright red. 

"Ooops…did I do that? Hee hee hee!"

* * *

**MEANWHILE**

Down on the street, two police officers emerge from a diner after having just finished their dinner break. One of them hits the other and points towards their car by the curb where Agent Briggs lies on the hood, a hand on her head as she tries to get her bearings and get up. 

"Ma'am? You okay?" one asks as they run over to her. She reaches into her coat and pulls out her badge, showing it to them. 

"No. Agent Briggs, F.B.I," she tells them just before a flash of red in the sky above calls their attention. "And I think you'd better call for backup."

* * *

Spidey struggles to push himself up off the roof and back on his feet, the back of his costume smoldering. Scarlet leaps off the roof above and lands behind him. He looks over at the water tower on the roof and begins to casually walk towards it. 

"You know, the little princess brought me back to kill you (flattered much?) at the same time I was gonna be her li'l lap dog…her latest weapon." He grabs one of the supports and squeezes, easily crushing the metal between his fingers. "But, she made a crucial mistake, Bunky…" He begins to lift, the other supports moaning under the strain before they give out and come up off the roof. He turns towards Spidey, hoisting the tower high above his head. "She made me TOO STRONG!" Spidey struggles to get up, but the wind was knocked out of him big time by Scarlet's blast. The most he can do is pull himself away from the advancing spider along the roof. "But, see, here's the thing: I'm gonna squash you anyways. It's the least I can do for locking me up inside that wuss Wade's head for a YEAR!" 

Scarlet rears his arms back. "Prepare to meet the water spout! Hee hee hee!" Spidey quickly brings his arm up for protection, expecting the worst. Scarlet just stands there. He looks at his arms curiously as they refuse to move. 

_"No! I won't let you!"_ Wade's voice booms inside his head. 

"Hey, who called in the peanut gallery?" Scarlet asks. He struggles to move again, trying to fight Wade as he attempts to take control back over his body. 

_"You're not gonna hurt anyone else!"_ Wade exclaims. 

"Man, what's got your shorts in a bunch? C'mon! Live a little! Enjoy the chaos and carnage!" Spidey just stares at him, relieved and curious at the same time. _He's flipped his gourd,_ he thinks. 

_"This ends here and now! I want my body back!"_

"When I'm done with it!" The door to the roof bursts open and Agent Briggs and the officers run out, their guns drawn. 

"Freeze!" Agent Briggs shouts, taking aim. Scarlet looks back at the new arrivals. 

_"Stephanie! No! Get away!"_ Wade exclaims to nobody but himself and Scarlet, losing his hold on Scarlet just long enough. 

"Gotta work on that concentration, Joey!" Scarlet turns to the officials and throws up his hands in surrender, letting the tower fly up and over the edge of the roof. "Don't shoot! I give up! Hee hee hee!" 

"NO!" Agent Briggs and Spidey both shout as they watch the tower disappear from sight as it falls down to the street below. Agent Briggs runs past Scarlet as the police keep their guns trained on him and he maintains his pose. Spidey finally manages to get over to the edge to peer over with Agent Briggs.

* * *

A cab pulls up on the street below just outside the police line where cars and officers are standing with their guns drawn, looking up at the roof. Peter Parker emerges from the cab and pays his fare. He was on his way back to the Bugle when he saw the spider-signal in the sky and decided to investigate for himself. Luckily, being in the reporting world, he has become accustomed to carrying around a police scanner with him, allowing him to track the aerial battle to its current location. As soon as the cab drives off, Peter's spider-sense kicks into overdrive. He looks up and sees the tower beginning its decent towards the people and officers below. The crowd immediately begins to panic and scatter or duck for cover. Peter drops his camera bag and holds up his arms.

* * *

Agent Briggs and Spidey look over the edge of the roof as the tower tangles a story or two above street level, laying on a giant spider web anchored between the buildings on either side of the street. 

"How did you do that?" Agent Briggs asks. 

"Um…magic," Spidey answers. _Peter must be nearby, thank God!_ he thinks. 

"What're we looking at? Huh? Huh? Huh?" Scarlet asks as he sticks his head in between them just before he pushes them both off. "Here, look a little closer! Hee hee hee!" Spidey grabs Agent Briggs and twists them for the second time today, firing a web-line up and anchoring to the underside of the building's ledge. Scarlet runs towards the opposite side of the roof, stopping to admire his handiwork of the two officers webbed up together. "Got Teflon? Later, boys! Hee hee hee!" With that, he leaps off the roof and swings into the night.

* * *

Down below, Spidey lowers himself and Agent Briggs to the sidewalk. "You okay?" he asks as he lets her go. 

"Little shaken, guess that's twice I owe you. How you doing?" Spidey shrugs. 

"Fine, fine. A little 3rd degree burn never hurt anyone." 

"Freeze, bug!" an officer shouts, training his gun on Spidey. Agent Briggs pulls out her badge. Spidey holds up his hands playfully, getting ready to fire a web-line and run if he has to. 

"Bug?" he mutters. 

"Special Agent Briggs, F.B.I.; the bug's with me." 

"Um, could we not say 'bug'? It's very hurtful," he quips. 

"Spider-Man!" Peter calls from behind the police line. 

"'Scuse me," Spidey says as he heads over to Peter. "Mr. Parker? What are you doing here?" 

"Well, uh, Spidey, I saw the signal and followed the police band here. Figured I could get some shots for the paper." Spidey leans in close to Peter. 

"I saw the web, you're not…?" he whispers. 

"No, I'm not. Force of habit, I guess," Peter whispers back. 

"Glad you were here all the same." They look back as Agent Briggs approaches them. 

"NYPD says the spider got away, luckily all he did was incapacitate the men on the roof." 

"Well, then I guess we'll just have to go after him," Spidey says. 

"Oh? And how do you plan to find him in a city this big?" Agent Briggs asks. Spidey reaches into his suit and produces a small spider-tracer. 

"With this little tracer that I slipped on him during the fight. I'll be able to follow him." 

"Not without me you're not. I owe that Octopus a couple!" 

"Count me in too. I might be able to help," Peter says. 

"Hey, wait a second…I'm not about to allow a civilian…" 

"It's okay, Agent Briggs. Peter here knows some science that may come in handy, because believe it or not all Ock did was resurrect that monster. The Scarlet Spider's acting alone and Wade's fighting it from inside, but he can't win by himself. He's gonna need all the help and we're gonna need all the advantages we can get to stop him…ONCE AND FOR ALL!" 

TO BE CONCLUDED! 

SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN VOL. 2 NO. 2 © 2003, 2005 C. BUCHNER. SPIDER-MAN AND ALL RELATED CHARACTERS TM & © MARVEL COMICS GROUP. THIS STORY IS FICTIONAL. ANY SIMILARITIES TO ANY LIVING OR DEAD PERSONS, BUSINESSES OR ORGANIZATIONS IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL.

* * *

**FOOTNOTES**  
(1) Scarlet Spider #2, Web of Scarlet Spider #3 & 4 and New Warriors #67. 


End file.
